1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to hinge assemblies for interconnecting a sash and a surrounding frame and, more particularly, to a shim assembly for releasably engaging the hinge assembly, the hinge assembly designed for a first sash-frame cavity, and the shim assembly constructed to allow the hinge assembly to operably interconnect a different size sash-frame cavity.
2. Description of Related Art
In many window assemblies, it is often desirable to have a sash be movable relative to a frame. Typically, the relative movement is provided by a hinge assembly operably connected to the sash and the frame. In construction, the sash is spaced from the frame to define a cavity or available hinge space. The cavity is sized to permit opening and closure of the sash. In addition, the sash-frame cavity is often sized to accommodate locking hardware and weatherseal contact and prevent interference.
Typically, a given hinge assembly is sized and constructed to accommodate a given sash-frame cavity size. That is, the linkages and pivoting movement within the hinge assembly require the sash to move within a predetermined range or path. If a hinge assembly is connected to a sash and frame outside of the design parameters, premature hinge failure results.
Therefore, the industry practice has been to stock an inventory of hinge assemblies for each anticipated sash-frame cavity size. Thus, substantial inventories can exist, wherein these inventories unnecessarily add to the overhead costs of window manufacturers.
Therefore, the need exists for a shim assembly that can engage a hinge assembly to allow operation of the hinge assembly (designed for a first sash-frame cavity size) in a different second sash-frame cavity size. The need also exists for a shim assembly that can be readily engaged with the hinge assembly, without requiring machinery or specialized tooling.